Laminated multiple-arch concrete dam.



S. P. BR LAMINATED MULTIPLE APPLICATION PILE STEPHEN P. BROWN, OFSTRA'IFORD, CONNECTICUT.

LAMINATED MULTIPLE-ARCH CONCRETE DAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

jatented April 24, 15:06.

Application filed April 10, 1905. Serial No. 254,789.

To tu whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN P. BROWN, a

.citizen of the United States, residing at Stratford, in the courity ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImproved Laminated Multiple-Arch Coni Fig. 2, a broken view thereof inelevation looking toward its` downstream face; Fig. 3, an enlarged viewin vertical section on the line a. b of Fig. l.

My invention relates to an improved multiple-arch concrete dam, theobject being to produce at a relatively small outlay for labor andmaterial a dam not only of sufficient power to resist very highpressures, but also of great durability on account of the adaptation ofsome of its members to independently contract and expand, and thusaccommodate themselves to disrupting forces or conditions which, if notso accommodated, Would tend to impair the integrity of the fabric.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a multiple-archconcrete dam having certain details of construction, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, as herein shown, I construct a series ofarches 2, arranged end to end in a horizontal plane with their convexfaces turned upstream toward the pressure of water impounded by the damand s ringing between piers 3,` spaced across the am-site and endabutments 4. The arches 2 will resty on table-like foundations 5 ofmassive or reinforced concrete construction and conforming to them incurvature. The piers 3 and end abutments 4 (only one of the endabutments is shown) will be built of massive concrete firmly anchored tothe bedrodk, preferably by hea steel expansionbolts, and held againstsli ing b steel shearing-pins. Such bolts and steels earing-pins, beingof well-known concrete construction, are not shown. The arches 2 will bebuilt continuous or integral with the said piers and forced concreteconstruction-such, for instance, as ferroconcrete illustrated bybentsteel rods 6, embodied in the concrete. The arches are not monolithicbut laminated, each arch consisting of. a vertical series of archmembers 7, superimposed upon each other and free to move laterallyindependently of each other. At their ends these arch members mer e intothe piers 3 and end abutments 4, wit which they are made, as it were, inone piece. The dimensions of the arches will vary according to thedictation of circumstances. It will be quite feasible to' make thearches thirty-feet span or over.

i The arch members (probably about ve feet thick) will be separated by athin film or layer 8 of as halt, applied as they are comleted one a erthe other, working from the owest member u ward and forming ashearing-surface for t e free articulation of the arch members one uponthe other as the individual arch members are exposed to conditions whichmake them contract and expand differentially. This differential movementof the arch members will not of course be eat, but it will be sufiicientto provide for ust that accommodation of the structure to 'sturbinforces which, if not accommodated, woul prove radually disruptive of theintegrity of the fabric. As shown, the arch members are separated fromeach other on the upstream face of the dam by wedgelike grooves 9,formed by beveling the lower corners of the arch members. These groovesmay be filled with suitable calking material to insure a Water-ti htjoint, and in an event will act as catchaigls for the self-calkng of thefabric in cases of small leaks. Of course the number of arches, the lenth of their span, the number of arch mem ers, and so on will bedetermined by the circumstances of each particular case, my inventionbeing unlimited in-this respect. As shown, the arches are arranged in ahorizontal plane. This is not essential, however, so long as the convexfaces of the arches are against the water-pressure. I would, therefore,have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact .constructionherein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to makesuchdepartures therefrom as fairly fall within the spirit and scope ofmy invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. A laminated arch for concrete dams,

IOC

the said arch consisting of a plurality of arch members superimposed oneabove the other and movable laterally for the accommoda-Y tion of forcestending to disrupt the fabric of the arch.

2. A laminated arch for concrete dams, the said arch consisting of aplurality of arch members superimposed one above the other and movablelaterally With respect to each other and separated by films of asphalt.

3. A laminated arch for' concrete dams, the said arch oonsistin of aplurality of arch members superimpose one above the other and movablelaterally With respect to each other and having their upstream facesseparated by grooves for the reception of calking and to act asself-calking catchalls 4. A laminated multiple-arch concrete damconsisting of a series of arches arranged With their convex facesagainst the Waterpressure and supported bypiers'and end abutments, eacharch consisting of a plurality of arch members superimposed one abovethe other and movable laterally With respect to each other for theaccommodation of fiorces tending to disrupt the fabric ofthe Intestimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftWo subscribing Witnesses. y

STEPHEN P. BROWN. Witnesses:

JOHN S. PULLMAN, MILLIE B. BURTON.

